Jefferson Airplane Founder Marty Balin Dead Aged 76

Marty Balin the co-founder of 'Jefferson Airplane' has died.

He helped form the famous California group in the 1960's.

Born Martyn Jerel Buchwald, he was a folk guitarist in San Francisco when he founded Jefferson Airplane with guitarist Paul Kantner.

The group released its first album in 1966, but achieved its breakthrough a year later with 'Surrealistic Pillow' which went gold.

Balin, a tenor, wrote several songs for that album which also featured the singer Grace Slick.

'Jefferson Airplan'e gained more fame with a performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival.

Balin later left the band, but in the 1970s rejoined Kantner and Slick for what was then known as 'Jefferson Starship'.

In 1978 Balin went on to a solo career and underwent open-heart surgery in 2016.

He later sued the New York hospital where he underwent the procedure, alleging he suffered multiple complications.

His family did not specify the cause of death.

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